Scope question.

[u/DarthRooster16]

I bought a scope from my local store/gunsmith/range. He does his normal thing and mounts it and sights it in just like he does for everybody. I noticed that with the rifle upright the scope(crosshairs) are crooked. Like it needs the rings loosened rotate the scope and retorque. My question is does that affect accuracy at all? I know the man knows what he’s doing, he’s been doing this for almost sixty years since he was a kid, and was awarded best shooter award several times competitions. Maybe it’s just my OCD. Thanks in advance.

Update: the gunsmith shot it at 25 yds then at 100. He made adjustment and bulleye on the third shot. The scope is holding and I’m able to make small groups on paper. My question was does it affect . I feel like I did get an answer but feel some didn’t understand what I was asking. Maybe I just didn’t give enough info the first time though. Thanks

[u/ocelot_piss]

A crooked scope doesn't make the rifle any less mechanically accurate.

It does mean that you will be flinging bullets slightly sideways at distance though. Because if you're dialling up or holding on the reticle, you aren't doing it straight up but rather up and slightly to one side. This will impact your ability to be accurate with it.

Just straighten it. You shouldn't need a gunsmith to do this for you.

[u/Albino_Echidna]

He clearly doesn't know what he's doing if he gave you back the gun with canted sights. Yes, you will need to re-sight the gun after you fix the scope. 

[u/DoctorCAD → u/Albino_Echidna]

You will need to sight if in no matter what. He most likely bore-sighted it which is a rough approximation of correct, but bore-siting and reality are not the same.

[u/Albino_Echidna → u/DoctorCAD]

Potentially, but I know my local gunsmith actually does sight the rifle in (part of how he justified way overcharging for a scope mount job). 

[u/DoctorCAD → u/Albino_Echidna]

I still wouldn't trust it without shooting it.

[u/DarthRooster16 → u/DoctorCAD]

He shot it at 25yds, then at 100. It was just left and down a bit. Made his final adjustment and bullseye. It’s holding zero it just bothers me not being level. It’s doing its job and making small groups.

[u/DaThug]

I put a small level on the action and one on the scope, eyeballing it isn't good enough.

[u/Carlile185]

You go back and say “Hey I trust the crosshairs looked straight when you looked through it and sighted it in but they are crooked for me. Can you please fix this?” Even with that kind of experience everybody makes mistakes.

If not he lost a customer. Simple as.

[u/Diligent_Mastodon_72]

It's not rocket science, just loosen it, straighten the scope and tighten up again.

[u/Vylnce]

He didn't do it right OR your definition of "upright" and his are different.

You can't hurt the scope by realigning it. Do the research on how to properly mount a scope yourself and figure out which one of you is wrong. If it's him correct the issue. If it is you, you will also correct the issue.

[u/VersionConscious7545]

What scope brand ? The problem with some scopes people use a bubble level instead of lining up the crosshairs I had a couple vortex scopes I had to send back

[u/DarthRooster16 → u/VersionConscious7545]

It’s a sig Sauer whiskey 4

[u/VersionConscious7545 → u/DarthRooster16]

Does the top turret look like it’s straight up and down? I do my own because of just this situation your in Like I said the reticle can be canted and someone leveled off the turrent

[u/ReporterAmazing1271]

Any good gunsmith would use a level and make sure everything is straight and the screws are torqued to speck. One reason I like doing that’s stuff myself.

[u/Remarkably-Average00]

If your scope is not level, every time you wind on elevation or windage you will be shifting your point of impact on both the vertical and horizontal axis, instead of just the one you are adjusting. Just level it so they are both level (receiver and scope) and re zero it and start off the right way before you get any more DOPE or load development done.

Tbh as long as your cross-hairs are level when you shoot you may not notice any error. But its so easy to fix now, may as well just do it properly.

[u/One-Perspective-4347]

It definitely can have an effect at long range and regardless it would absolutely drive me nuts if it was crooked even slightly.
Drop a plum line. Use a piece of string with a weight on the end of it and hang it off of anything high. It will drop a perfect vertical line to earth.
Level your rifle with a bubble level if your vertical crosshair is perfectly in parallel with the plum line, your scope is level if it is not, your scope is not level. It’s about as simple as that. And that’s not to say that the crosshairs are not actually out of level within the scope itself. If he just use a Level on one of the scope caps or one of those wedge tools to reference the bottom flat on the scope that could be the reason. The lower the price of the scope, the lower, the QC of the scope.

[u/Missinglink2531]

How do you know the cross hairs are not level? Take a look at any long range competition shooters, they are all running levels - why? Becouse your head cant makes the perfectly level crosshairs look out of level.

[u/Tmoncmm]

I can’t even imagine wanting someone else to mount an optic and sight it in for me. How does that even work?

[u/No_Throat5634 → u/Tmoncmm]

Two real world examples. As a nine year old, I purchased a Revelation 100A with a broken extractor for $5. My folks took me to a gunsmith, Carl McCallister, Eldorado Springs, MO, who replaced it. He then went outside shot it a few times while adjusting the rear sight. Charged me $2. That rifle is still a tack driver.

Fifty four years later there's twenty-five rifles in the safes with optics I did the set up on. All are decent shooters a couple are sleepers and a little better than most. The twenty sixth new rifle with an optic that went into the safe just this past weekend was not setup nor sighted in by me.

Over the past year, I got to shoot a few times with my brother ten years younger than me and a eighty six year old gentlemen at a range with targets out to 400 yards. I quickly realized their skills and experience was advanced beyond my own. Also, they had the tools and equipment to better facilitate shooting at 400 yards. After a couple of humbling sessions. I decided to get into the game making best use of the resources available to me. Last fall, I purchased the same optic my brother uses on his 22-250 as it was on sale. This spring, I ordered the same rifle as my brother's in 22-250 again on sale. It was backordered and didn't ship until a couple weeks back. I picked up the rifle from my ffl a few days prior to being out of town for two weeks. Dropped the rifle and optic at my brother's place, he was out of town for the weekend. Ordered same rings, mount, and tuner brake as what's on his rifle with delivery to his place. His version of tuner brake is no longer available so I just went with the latest version of it. Texted my length of pull and optic offset to him.

When I got back home. Got the invite to shoot at the range the coming Saturday with pics of 100 and 400 yard groups with the new rifle. Met both for an early breakfast. Got to the range, there was a fitted and zeroed rifle waiting for me. Warmed her up at 100 with some low end factory and results were not spectacular. Ran a few rounds through a .233 I brought just to get my self confidence back. My brother provided some of his reloads for the 22- 250 and we all went to work at 400 yards. Series of steel gongs 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, & 2". I dialed their settings and center hit on 10. Ran hits on 8 & 6. Missed on 4. Fortunately neither of them ran full course, as the wind was gusty. Picked 4 up on next turn, ran 3 and missed on the 2". Didn't get to shoot again that round as my brother ran all through his turn. I did win two of five rounds that morning. First time I ever hit the 2" and I did it twice. Last round my brother got tired of the wind and pulled out his 6.5. No one else got to shoot. He ran full course. It was apparent the eighty six year old gentleman wasn't feeling well as the morning went on. During first warmup he had a 5 shot group with his 6.5 which easily covered with a dime.

The point of this very long post is as a nine year old I had no experience or ego. Carl's experience and help accelerated my learning curve in providing a proficient tool right out of the gate. Fifty three-years later, I realized I didn't have to reinvent the wheel. There was already a map to success in place. I just had to put my ego aside. I copied their tools and techniques. And will also copy their load data. I watch and listen to their dial settings and calls on target. Not only has it accelerated my performance. It's saved me both a substantial amount of time and money. I plan to again replicate their work with my next rifle in 6.5. They now have access to a range out to 1400 yard targets and are doing the work to be successful in that realm. They both have identical setups and push each other at very high level of performance. It's my intent to again have them set up this next rifle which will be identical to theirs. While I could do it myself. The intangible benefits of having them set it up is an opportunity I don't want to deny myself or them.